


the kids aren't alright

by tiffaniesblews



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Big Brother Sokka (Avatar), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt Sokka (Avatar), Light Angst, Post-Canon, Post-Episode: s03e18-21 Sozin's Comet, Protective Sokka (Avatar), these kids need therapy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 15:07:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28655451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiffaniesblews/pseuds/tiffaniesblews
Summary: Sokka naively thought that once the war ends, everything will go back to normal.No one warned him that with the end of the world comes healing. No one told him he would be sick with worry for his friends, or that he would be unable to sleep at night.Who let kids fight in a war?
Relationships: Aang & Sokka (Avatar), Katara & Sokka (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Toph Beifong & Sokka
Comments: 12
Kudos: 69





	the kids aren't alright

**Author's Note:**

> Had this fic in my drafts for a while, but never posted it. Originally, I was thinking of doing a chapter per character, and I might still do that, but for now I'm going to stick with Sokka. We focus a lot on Aang, Zuko, and even Katara's healing after the war, but not so much Sokka's and I really wanted to explore that. 
> 
> Maybe I keep writing Sokka's POV, maybe I explore the POV of other characters. I'm not sure yet, but have some light Sokka angst to start.

Sokka’s not even sure if he remembers how he, Suki, Toph, and Aang made it to the Fire Nation capital. He is just so exhausted that everything that had happened in the past few hours all seem to blur together like some fever dream. Now, the four of them sit and wait in a room of the palace as they wait for someone, anyone, to give them news about Katara and Zuko, Hakoda and the other Southern Water Tribe Warriors, or the members of the White Lotus. 

Slumped next to him on either side are Toph and Suki, both of their heads resting on his shoulders as they struggle to stay awake. 

Shifting slightly, Sokka looks down at Suki whose bright eyes are slightly unfocused as she stares at the wall ahead. Sokka gives her knee a gentle squeeze, a reassuring gesture that he is here, that she is grounded and that she is safe. In return, Suki places her hand on his, her eyes finally closing as she surrenders to sleep. 

Once he hears Suki’s slow, even breathing, Sokka turns to Toph. It is then Sokka realizes just how small Toph really is, her head barely reaching his shoulder, instead leaning on his arm, her knees pulled into her chest. Though her eyes are closed, Sokka can tell that Toph is awake, listening to the heartbeats that drum wildly next to her. Like he did with Suki, he reaches his hand out to her, giving her a soft nudge. Toph quickly takes his hand in hers and grips it tightly like she did on the airship; it feels like years since that has happened, yet it was only a few hours ago. 

“You’re not falling anymore, Toph,” he whispers to her. “I’ve got you. We’re safe.”

Toph’s head jerks slightly in a nod as she takes a sharp breath in. Despite the fact that she made jokes about Ozai, boasting that she and the others took out an entire army by themselves, once they reached Caldera City, Toph’s mask of bravado slid away as she became more subdued. Even with his words of assurance, Toph’s hand grips Sokka’s tighter and, unlike Suki, she stays awake. 

Sokka sighs and looks around for Aang who sits curled up in a chair by the door of the bedroom they had been shuffled into when they arrived. Aang seems to sense Sokka’s stare as he lifts his head to look back at Sokka, giving the older boy a tired, lopsided grin. Sokka does his best to return the smile, but he’s so tired and achy that he can barely do that. It doesn’t help that his broken leg throbs in pain. 

“Sokka, are you okay?” Aang asks in a loud whisper. He must have seen Sokka wince in pain to be asking such a thing.

“Physically or mentally?” Sokka says in an attempt of a joke. He hears Toph sniff next to him in reply and Aang just shakes his head.

“Stupid question,” Aang mutters as he rests his head on he knees and stares at the door. 

Sokka can tell Aang is worried about Katara and Zuko, though the younger boy is doing a good job hiding his feelings. If Suki and Toph weren’t resting on him, Sokka would have gone over and given Aang the hug he so desperately needs. Instead, all he can do is join Aang in his vigil as he waits for news on his sister and father.

Of course, Sokka is worried about everyone else, but in this moment, Sokka’s heart aches with longing for his family. When they had arrived, no one really told them what was going on, only that Zuko had been hurt and that Katara is currently with him. All he can do now is sit and wait, and Sokka hates sitting and waiting.

“You should get some sleep,” he says to both Aang and Toph. “I can wake you guys up if something happens.”

The two young benders don’t respond. Aang just continues to stare, and Toph’s hand does not loosen around Sokka’s. Suki continues sleeping deeply next to him, but he can tell that her sleep is troubled as her eyes are moving rapidly beneath her eyelids. 

Sokka does his best to keep his friends together. That’s really all he can do. 

* * *

Luckily, news about Katara, Zuko, and everyone else comes quickly and Team Avatar is reunited once more. 

It’s strange, Sokka thinks, seeing Zuko wrapped in bandages in bed as they all celebrate the end of a war. There are deep circles under Zuko’s and Katara’s eyes after a long night of fighting and healing. Aang is still bubbly, but more so than usual as he tries his best to hold everything together. Toph lays curled up against Zuko, her head resting on his arm like she did with Sokka earlier. Suki and Katara sit on the edge of the bed, hands clasped around each other. 

_We’re just kids_ , Sokka thinks to himself as he watches his friends try to pretend that nothing has changed despite the fact that the world is no longer the same. _Who the hell lets kids fight in a damn war?_

Sokka shakes his head as Katara lets go of Suki and pulls him in for a hug, burying her face in his chest. He can feel her tears soak through his tunic as he wraps his arms around her, resting his chin on top of her head. 

_Just kids_ , he thinks again, _just kids._

* * *

Sokka used to think that once the war ended, everything would go back to normal. He remembers dreaming of the day his father would return from fighting to deliver the news that the Fire Nation has been defeated and there can be peace. How naive he was, thinking that once a massive war was over all troubles will subside. 

Instead, he must learn to deal with both the political and emotional turmoil that arise as a reward. Sokka never realized just how much work was going to go into repairing a broken world. Not only that, Sokka soon learns that he never thought about how much he was going to have to heal himself. 

The night of Zuko’s coronation, after a night of dancing and celebrating, Sokka lays in bed in the guest room he was assigned, staring up at the ceiling above him. Usually, sleep comes easy to Sokka, but in the weeks after the war leading up to tonight, Sokka finds sleep eluding him. Tonight is not any different, though he’s not sure as to why because he’s tired, so tired. It’s the type of tired that seeps into his bones and tugs at his eyelids, but still he lays awake. Each time he closes his eyes all he can see is himself hanging off the edge of the airship hanging on to Toph for dear life. 

This isn’t fair, Sokka is supposed to be strong. He’s the one who’s supposed to hold this team together, isn’t he? Who else is going to come up with the clever quips and insane stories that keep everyone in good spirits? It’s _not_ fair. No one told him he would be broken too. 

In a few days, he and his friends will leave for Ba Sing Se as a mini vacation before heading back into the real world. After that, Sokka and Katara will head home to the South Pole, Suki and Ty Lee will leave for Kyoshi Island, and Zuko, Mai, Aang, and Toph will all head back to the Fire Nation. Sokka does not want to be apart from his friends, he does not want to learn how to heal by himself. 

Knowing that sleep will not come, Sokka sighs and carefully gets out of bed. Katara had healed his broken leg, but still the bone is weak and Sokka knows he must be careful. He’s not really sure what he wants to do just yet, but he does know that he does not want to be alone right now. 

He heads to the hallway, standing in front of his door trying to decide whose company he craves the most: his sister’s or Suki’s. As he stands there, trying to decide, he hears a door open to his right and he turns to see Toph making her way out of her own room.

“Toph?” he asks, heading over to stand in front of her. 

She looks around at him, the bags under her eyes more prominent than Sokka remembers.

“Toph, are you okay?” he asks, placing a hand on her shoulder. 

Toph shakes her head. “No. Not really.”

“Can’t sleep either, huh?” Sokka says, giving her shoulder a squeeze. 

“No,” Toph mumbles. “It’s stupid.”

“That’s not stupid, Toph,” Sokka states as Toph crosses her arms. “We all went through a war. I have a feeling we’re not the only ones awake right now.”

Toph wiggles her shoulder, causing Sokka to drop his hand. He can see the pain in her face through the candles lit in the hallway, but he doesn’t say anything. He just waits, just like he always does, for her to either open up or close herself off. 

“Well, where are you going then?” Toph asks, getting the attention away from herself.

Sokka sighs. “I’m not sure. I just don’t want to be alone right now, that’s all.”

Toph raises her eyebrows at him. “Yeah. Me either.”

It’s something, Sokka figures. A small cry for help that Toph so willingly gives him. Suddenly Sokka feels bad for not thinking about Toph, for just assuming that she would remain strong after the war. 

“Want to go to the kitchens? Get some tea?” Sokka offers. 

Toph gives a hesitant nod and a small smile. “Okay.”

Sokka takes Toph’s hand in his hand and begins to lead her towards the kitchens. As they walk down the hall, another door opens, Suki poking her head out. 

“You too, huh?” Sokka asks her, cocking his head to the side.

Suki nods sheepishly and walks out of the room to join Sokka and Toph.

“Do you mind if I join you guys?” she asks them.

Sokka just takes her hand in his free hand, giving her a soft kiss on the cheek. Suki gives him an appreciative smile, and the trio begins their trek to the kitchens once again.

“Think Zuko will mind?” Toph asks in a somewhat teasing tone, trying to relieve the tension they are all feeling. 

“We’re his friends,” Sokka answers, “I’m sure the Firelord won’t mind if his friends make a little mess of the kitchens for the sake of avoiding nightmares.”

Toph huffs in agreement while Suki gives a small chuckle. Sokka can feel the tightness in his chest loosen slightly, but still not enough. 

_Kids,_ he thinks once more. _We’re just damn kids._


End file.
